Forbidden Empire, page 2
As I walked down the hallway and entered his office, the warm, amber glow of the desk lamp cast long shadows across the room, enhancing its commanding presence. The massive black oak desk shone in the light, and I couldn't resist running my fingers along its edge, imagining all the deals and power plays that had taken place there.
A smile appeared on my lips as I relaxed into Aidon's chair, kicking up my feet on the desk. Its comfort was undeniable, and I could see why he favored it. From here, he had a clear view of his empire, monitoring everything.
I couldn't help but imagine Aidon's voice warning me to stay out of his space. He would hate to find me sitting in his chair, which made it more tempting to claim a bit of it myself. As I swirled the whiskey in my hand, soaking in the warmth of his office, I knew this was just another game between us, one that I intended to win.
The sound of the door opening behind me sent a jolt of adrenaline through my veins, but I didn't flinch. His dark eyes locked onto mine, unflinching and filled with that signature mix of irritation and intrigue.
The door swung shut with a decisive click, the sound sharp in the tense room. Aidon entered, his dark suit sharp and precise, every step deliberate and predatory. I watched him, noticing the tight lines of his posture and the narrowing of his eyes as they settled on me lounging in his chair.
"I see you've made yourself comfortable," he said, his voice quiet and tinged with annoyance.
I raised my glass in a teasing toast. "Nice chair. I can see why you like it."
His jaw tightened, but he didn't take the bait. Instead, he walked toward me with purpose, stopping just short of the desk and leaning forward until his hands rested on its edge. His presence filled the room, making it feel smaller and more suffocating.
"Get out of it," he commanded, his gaze piercing.
I arched a brow, enjoying the flicker of frustration crossing his features. "And here I thought we were supposed to be partners. Or is this how you treat all your allies?"
Aidon's eyes flashed with anger as he moved closer. His hand came to rest on the armrest of the chair, caging me in.
"Partners require trust," he growled. "Something you haven't earned."
"Trust is overrated," I replied, though my heart was pounding under his intense gaze. "Besides, I wouldn't be here if you didn't trust me even a little."
He didn't deny it, instead moving around the desk to grab the back of the chair, spinning it so I was facing him.
He leaned against the edge of the desk, his hand still on the armrest as if to block my escape.
"Are you trying to provoke me, Esme?" he asked, his voice dangerously soft.
I tilted my head, meeting his glare without flinching. "Maybe. Is it working?"
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, but the tension in his jaw betrayed him. "You've always had a talent for pushing limits. But this?" His eyes flicked toward my legs, now sitting tucked on the seat of the chair. "This might be your boldest move yet."
I leaned forward and closed the gap between us. "You know I've never been one to play it safe, Aidon. That's why you like me."
"Like you?" He leaned in closer, his breath brushing against my cheek. "You're a liability I tolerate."
I laughed, the sound echoing through the charged air between us. It was my one defense against this man who smelled so good and prickled every one of my senses.
"Keep telling yourself that." I reached out to run my fingers along the edge of his tie. "If I'm just a liability, why haven't you thrown me out?"
His hand shot out, grabbing my neck and holding it in a firm grip. The sudden contact sparked a buzz over my skin, and neither of us moved for a moment. It was as if years of memories flashed before us.
His eyes darkened, and my pulse hammered.
"Don't mistake my patience for weakness, Esme," he warned, his voice a low growl. "You're here because I need you. Nothing more."
I tilted my head, letting my lips form a slow, teasing smile. "And yet, here we are. You could have left me to fend for myself, but instead, you brought me here. Into your domain. Your sanctuary. Why is that, Aidon?"
His grip on my hand tightened for a fraction of a second before he released it and stepped back. The absence of his touch made me feel colder than I expected. This reaction to him wasn't fair. He tormented me, and he knew it.
"Don't overthink it," he said with composure once more. "Stay out of my office and don't get in my way."
No, I wasn't going to let this be the end.
"Are you afraid of what might happen if I don't?"
He paused at the doorway, his back turned. "Afraid? No. Curious? Always."
With that, he disappeared, leaving me alone in his office, with the lingering heat of his presence and the ache deep inside me.
I leaned back in his chair and shot back the last of my whiskey, savoring the burn as it made its way down to my belly.
I took a deep breath. Aidon thought he could control me, but I was always at my strongest when operating on the edges of control. And I had no intention of playing by his rules.
Later that evening, as I sat in my armchair, I watched the distant city lights flicker against the window, casting a soft glow in the darkened room. I couldn't shake the heavy weight of Aidon's words. They pressed down on me, suffocating and stifling.
His warning echoed in my mind in a non-stop look, cutting deeper than a knife.
After years of mastering indifference, pushing people away, and keeping them at arm's length, why was it Aidon Erebus who affected me this way? Why couldn't I shake off what he made me feel or think? It was so easy with everyone else.
Why not him?
I stood up from the chair, walked to the bar cart, and poured a glass of whiskey. Lifting the glass to catch the last rays of sunset, I watched the amber swirl inside.
I stared into the spirit, hoping to find some answer or clarity. Perhaps it was the challenge he presented, the way he refused to let anyone outplay him, or was it something else, a lure toward him that I couldn't explain or control?
With a heavy sigh, I placed the glass on a nearby table and pressed my palms against its smooth surface. That was when a realization hit me.
At some point in this dangerous game we began playing long ago, I stopped caring about the rules.
I was fucked.
Three
Esme
Aidon's gaze burned into me as I paced back and forth in his dimly lit penthouse office. The air was thick with unspoken tension, contrasting with the positive energy of the bright sunlight shining down on Las Vegas this morning.
Aidon leaned against the desk, his arms crossed in front of him, demanding answers without speaking a word.
"You're wasting time," he said after he was tired of the wait. "If you have a plan, lay it out."
I stopped mid-step and turned to face him, giving him a mocking laugh. "A plan? Do you think we can take down Zeno's empire with just one plan? This isn't a game of chess, Aidon. It's war."
"Then tell me where to aim," he retorted. "Because all you've been doing is talking in circles."
I moved across the room and stood just inches from him. "You think it's that simple? Taking down Zeno doesn't happen by barging through his front door. He's not stupid."
Aidon straightened, his tall frame casting a shadow over me. His body warmth pressed against me without ever touching, and for a moment, I wondered if he might close the distance.
But he didn't. He never showed me more than a glimpse of his intensity, just enough to unsettle me. Just enough to keep me hanging on the edge. Just enough to remind me of everything I lost when I walked away.
"Then enlighten me," he challenged with dangerous softness. "What do you need from me, Esme?"
I hesitated, feeling my confidence waver under his piercing gaze.
For a few moments, memories surfaced, from Zeno's smug grin as he warned me what would happen if I ever stepped out of line to the lies I told for him to survive.
I pushed the past away and focused on Aidon, uncertainty rising up.
Was Aidon the answer, or was I making another mistake? But I pushed those thoughts aside and steeled myself.
"I need your access," I said, my voice steady. "Your resources. Zeno has a vault that very few know about. And those who know, only a trusted one or two can access. I know the location and how to get in."
Aidon raised an eyebrow. "A vault? What's inside?"
"Leverage," I replied. "Enough to bring Zeno down from the inside out. But it isn't in a typical location and protected by a system that perhaps your connections can bypass."
There was a tense pause as we both let the weight of my words sink in.
A heavy silence lingered between us, filled with unspoken questions and doubts. I saw Aidon's mind working, taking in my words, dissecting them, and looking for any cracks in my story.
Finally, he spoke up again. "If I agree to this, there's no turning back. You betray me again, Esme..."
You'll kill me, I said with a roll of my eyes. "Yes, Aidon, I've heard the threat before. But if I betray you, I'll face much bigger problems than just you. Zeno doesn't forgive traitors."
Family or not, I was a tool to Zeno, a pawn to use as he pleased—no more. I couldn't do it anymore.
"We'll plan this together," he declared with finality. "But understand this, Esme, the moment I sense you're playing me, our partnership ends."
I couldn't help but smirk at his warning as I leaned against the desk he had just vacated. "Then you better hope I don't play you."
The tension lingered long after our exchange had concluded. It was like a thick fog hanging around us, suffocating and filling every part of the office with its heaviness. The walls felt too close, the room too small, and every look from Aidon was like a spark just waiting to ignite.
Needing some fresh air to clear my head, I approached the window. But his voice stopped me in my tracks.
"You're holding back."
I turned to face him, my heart pounding in my chest. "I have told you what you need to know."
"No," Aidon countered, moving closer until we were a breath apart. "You have told me what you want me to hear. There is a difference."
The room seemed to shrink as he closed the distance between us until I felt his warmth radiating off him, hot and suffocating.
My back pressed against the cool glass, a stark contrast to the fiery intensity of his presence. He didn't touch me yet, but his nearness alone overwhelmed me.
"What are you so afraid of, Esme?" His voice was low and dangerous, like a growl. "That I'll see the truth? That I'll see you?"
"You don't know anything about me," I shot back, my voice wavering as his eyes locked onto mine, unyielding.
His question tore into my resolve, revealing the cracks I work so hard to hide. It felt like a sharp knife, cutting through my defenses and leaving me exposed. His hand brushed my cheek as he pushed a strand of hair behind my ear, leaving an electric charge that sent shivers down my spine.
Don't I?" His voice was soft but laced with frustration and hurt. "You want me to trust you, but you won't give me a reason to. Why is that, Esme? What are you hiding?
My heart felt heavy with guilt and longing as his words hit me harder than I wanted to admit. I considered telling him everything for a moment, letting him in just enough to quiet the growing storm between us. But the weight of all the unsaid words between us charged the air further, threatening to snap at any second. My breath caught in my throat as his fingers lingered near my jaw. His intense gaze searched mine for answers I couldn't give.
"Aidon," I began, but before I could finish, he closed the gap between us and kissed me.
I responded without thinking, my hands clutching his shirt as I pulled him closer. It was as if a raging storm exploded within me, a mix of anger and desire that stole my breath away.
His grip on my waist tightened, our bodies pressed close as our lips moved in an urgent dance driven by passion and frustration.
"You're impossible," he muttered against my mouth, his voice rough with emotion.
"And you're predictable," I shot back in defiance.
His low laughter vibrated over my skin as he retorted, "You drive me insane, Esme."
"Good," I hummed, feeling alive in this chaotic moment as I held onto him. "Then we’re even."
The kiss deepened, our tongues battling for control as they slid, rolled, and dueled against each other.
My pulse pounded in my ears, and goosebumps prickled down my spine. Aidon's overwhelming presence, oppressive and electric, filled the room, making it clear that something dangerous simmered beneath the surface.
"I should walk away from you right now," he growled in a low and rough voice. "You're chaos, Esme. You unravel everything you touch."
"Then let me go," I replied, my body betraying me as I leaned into him despite knowing nothing could come of this. "You hate me, remember? I'm just a liability."
His grip tightened, not meant to harm but to remind me that he held the reins, even as the fire in his eyes may make me believe otherwise.
"Hating you would be easy," he murmured, his lips so close they almost brushed against mine. "But I don't. And that's the problem."
The weight of his words hung between us, undeniable and heavy. My heart raced in my chest, and my breath caught as the air grew thick with an unspoken tension. He was so close now, his woodsy scent enveloping me like a vice.
"Aidon," I whispered, but he cut me off.
"No more talking," he commanded, as his free hand slid up to cup the back of my neck and his fingers tangled in my hair, tilting my head back.
His lips crashed down with a primal force, igniting a fire that burned through me hotter than any wildfire.
This wasn't a gentle, sweet seduction but a battle of wills and a surrender all at once. The intensity building was years in the making, raw, untamed, and desperate.
Logic said to push him away and end this before it went any further. Except I found myself pulling him closer and fisting the fabric of his shirt.
He groaned against my lips, a sound filled with pent-up desire and longing. His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me flush against him, and I gasped at the feeling of his hard, thick cock locked between us as if it were a brand marking me.
"Is this what you wanted?" he rasped, his lips trailing from my jaw to my throat. His teeth grazed the sensitive skin there, sending shivers down my spine.
"You tell me," I managed to say, my voice trembling with need as I tangled my fingers in his hair. "You're the one in control."
He chuckled against my skin, the vibration of his voice sending tingles through me. "Control? With you, that's a luxury I don't have."
The tension between us kept growing, driven by a fiery passion that blurred the borders between anger and desire. Every touch, every kiss, deepened the ache inside me.
"You drive me insane," he muttered against my neck, his breath hot and ragged.
"Good," I whispered back, tugging on his hair just enough to make him groan.
He pressed himself against me with determination, teasing and tormenting me until I couldn't handle it anymore. At that moment, nothing else mattered except us being locked in this fierce dance of lust and desire. But then he pulled back, meeting my gaze with dark, burning intensity.
"You don't play fair, Esme," he growled, his tone laced with desire and frustration.
I smirked at him, my desire fueling my confidence. "And you love it."
A flicker of dangerous intent flashed in his eyes, hinting he saw right through my bravado. He kissed me again, all traces of gentleness replaced by dominance and need.
The sound of our ragged breaths filled the room, adding to the palpable lust consuming us. He pulled back, resting his forehead against mine as he cupped my face. It was a small gesture that cut straight to my core, making me want something I couldn't have.
"You're exhausting," he murmured, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips right before he brushed his mouth over mine.
This time, the kiss was slower but no less intense. It was a lingering exploration.
Aidon's hand followed the same directive, gliding over every curve and dip of my body, igniting sparks wherever he touched. With deliberate movements, he cupped my breast through my shirt and pinched the hardened tip, eliciting a moan from between my lips.
I clutched at him as my core spasmed and arousal pooled between my legs.
His other hand slipped beneath the hem of my shirt, brushing against the bare skin of my inner thigh.
I moaned and whimpered, dropping my head to Aidon's shoulder. His scent surrounded me, a heady mix of spice and danger that made every nerve in my body come alive. He tilted my neck, his breath coasting over my skin, sending shivers down my spine.
With skilled fingers, he grazed over my throbbing clit.
"Aidon," his name escaped my lips like a desperate plea.
Each touch sent electric shocks through me, igniting the fire inside until it turned into an inferno begging for more.
"You're so fucking wet."
"It's only like this with you."
My confession seemed to unlock something primal in him as he shifted and lifted me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist, needing to hold him close. The room blurred as he carried me to the primary suite, his weight pressing me into the soft mattress beneath us.
He captured my lips again, then moved lower, scoring his teeth and tongue down my neck. His mouth left a fiery trail in its wake, igniting every nerve in my body.
"Say it again," he murmured, his voice rough and commanding. "Tell me you want this."
"I want this," I whispered, arching my back as he buried his face against my pelvis.
He reached up and tugged the straps of my dress down my shoulders, exposing my body to his gaze.
"You're fucking beautiful." His eyes seemed to glitter with hunger as if he were a man possessed.
No one had ever looked at me with such intensity before. Aidon's palms settled on my hips, his touch electric and setting fire to every inch of my skin.
